THE CHRISTIAN’S ARMOUR-EPHESIANS 6:11-18.

“WITH ALL PRAYER AND PETITION PRAY AT ALL TIMES IN THE SPIRIT-VERSE 18.

Paul now rounds off his instructions regarding the use of our Christian armour by encouraging his readers to be consistent and faithful in prayer. Although prayer is not actually one of the pieces of armour, nevertheless, because our struggle is against “the world’s forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in heavenly places,” Ephesians 6:12, prayer is an essential part of our weaponry. We really need to consider, in this final Blog on our armour, where prayer fits in.

So what is the connection between prayer and our armour? Paul tells us to “pray at all times in the Spirit,” verse 18. In other words, if we are to live in victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil, we are to pray at all times, and to continue in it. As, each morning, we by faith, gird on each piece of our armour, we should be praying for God’s protection and help in every circumstance which might arise during the day.

Most people have very busy lives, and some may say that they have been too busy to pray. If this is the case, we have been too busy. No matter who we are, our armour gets dented in some way or other during our everyday tasks. I.e. bad news from a telephone call; the irrational attitude and demands of one’s boss; the loss or lateness of the train; a traffic jam making us late for an important appointment; news of redundancy; etc. etc.; any of these things and any one of a hundred others can easily upset the smooth running of our day.

The crux of the matter is, how are we going to react when we are put under pressure, and things go wrong? For as sure as night follows day, the devil, or one of his minions is standing on the side-line of our lives, watching and ready to laugh at our impatience and loss of temper; or our blame of God, (why have You allowed this to happen Lord?); or feeling that God doesn’t care; or of feeling sorry for ourselves; or of our reacting with any of the fruit of the devil rather than with the fruit of the Spirit, which is, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control,” Galatians 5:22-23. “And do not give the devil an opportunity,” Ephesians 4:27.

Paul also says in Ephesians 4:26, “Do not let the sun do down on your anger.” The first thought, for some, from this statement is of a husband and wife lying in bed with their back to each other because of words which have given offence to either one or both. Paul is saying, “Make apologies before going to sleep.” However, in the context of our armour, there is a wider meaning to Paul’s statement. It is very good advice that at the end of the day, to sit quietly and think and pray through the events of the previous hours. “Lord, is there any way or time when I have let You down today?”

As we are sitting there with our girdle of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and sword of the Spirit; and as we pray through the day the Lord may bring to our mind various incidents. “O dear, I let in an arrow from the devil when that motorist cut me up and I lost my peace by tooting my horn and gesticulating at him.” ‘Sorry Lord, please forgive me and mend the hole in my peace.’ “Then there was the occasion when someone nudged my elbow and my drink went all over my desk. My reaction caused one on my colleagues to say afterward, ‘Hey John, I thought you were a Christian.’ ‘Father, there is a gaping hole in my breastplate now. Please seal it up and show me how I can turn the situation to Your advantage.’”

So, as we confess how we have been spiritually wounded during the day, so the Lord mends our armour and makes us ready for another day on the morrow.

With all this, where does prayer come in? Prayer is the covering, the canopy over us, and we begin the day without it at our peril. Prayer puts us on the alert, and the Holy Spirit, through prayer can help us discern the enemy’s attack or influence. Prayer covering can strengthen our peace, help us to be encouraged in the salvation into which God has brought us. Assist us in dealing in truth and righteousness with our contacts with others who are not Christians; and even using our faith to encourage and bless those who are cast down or fraught with anxiety. Or even using our spiritual sword to explain the gospel to another. Let prayer act like a spiritual polish on our armour which causes the devil’s fiery arrows to glance off without harming us.

Charles Wesley once wrote the following hymn to encourage us to pray:-

Pray without Ceasing                                                                                   Your Captain gives the word;
His summons cheerfully obey,
And call upon the Lord:
To God your every want
In instant prayer display;
Pray always; Pray and never faint;
Pray, without ceasing, pray!

In fellowship alone
To God with faith draw near,
Approach His courts, besiege His throne
With all the powers of prayer:-
Go to His temple, go,
Nor from his altar move;
Let every house His worship know,
And every heart His love.

Pour out your soul to God,
And bow them with your knees,
And spread your hearts and hands abroad,
And pray for Zion’s peace;
Your guides and brethren bear
For ever in your mind;
Extend the arms of mighty prayer,
In grasping all mankind.

From strength to strength go on,
Wrestle, and fight, and pray,
Tread all the powers of darkness down,
And win the well fought day;
Still let the Spirit cry,
In all His soldiers: Come!
Till Christ the Lord descend from high,
And take the conquerors home.

John Wesley once said, “God does nothing but by prayer, and everything with it.”

So then, let us at the beginning and throughout the day ensure that our canopy of prayer is protecting both us and our armour. And at the start, ask God to fill us with His Spirit so that we are both prompted and guided in our prayers.

I would like to finish this series of Blogs on The Christian’s Armour, with the word of another Charles Wesley hymn which brings together our thoughts of the last eighteen weeks.

My new series, commencing next weeks will be on “Bible Characters.”

Soldiers of Christ, arise,
And put your armour on,
Strong in the strength which God supplies
Through His eternal Son;
Strong in the Lord of Hosts,
And in His mighty power,
Who in the strength of Jesus trusts
Is more than conqueror.

Stand then in His great might,
With all His strength endued;
But take, to arm you for the fight,
The panoply of God;
That, having all things done,
And all your conflicts passed,
Ye may o’ercome through Christ alone,
And stand entire at last.

Strand then against your foes,
In close and firm array;
Legions of wily fiends oppose
Throughout the evil day
But meet the sons of might;
But mock their vain design,
Armed in the arms of heavenly light,
Of righteousness divine.

Leave no unguarded place,
No weakness of the soul;
Take every virtue, every grace,
And fortify the whole;
Indissolubly joined,
To battle all proceed;
But arm yourselves with all the mind
That was in Christ, your Head.

God bless you

John